| Thursday, March 28, 2024 |
| Spring in full bloom: MSU's Horticulture Club organizes next week's annual plant sale | |
 | The MSU Horticulture Club is hosting its annual spring plant sale. Bright and beautiful annuals and perennials cultivated by Mississippi State students will be available for purchase at the Dorman Hall greenhouses over the two-day event Friday, April 5, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 6, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Madelyn Gresham, a senior horticulture major from Chicago, is the club's president. She said annual spring flowers such as petunias, coleus, geraniums and more will be offered at the sale. Perennials also will be available, as well as herbs and vegetables. Gresham emphasized the extensive effort of the club's greenhouse managers to prepare for the weekend sale. "They analyze past sales records and current trends to see what consumers want. They also order and raise the plants, fertilize and create watering schedules," she said. Sale proceeds are used to fund the club's activities, future plant sales and greenhouse maintenance. The club accepts cash, check and Venmo payment methods. |
| Giving Day: Jersey Mike's donates day's sales to TK Martin Center | |
 | The "sub-above" shop went above and beyond for the Starkville community. Jersey Mike's celebrated its annual "Giving Day" and they chose the TK Martin Center at Mississippi State as their charity of choice. For every sale, it will go towards the center. At TK Martin Center, they ensure research and service for youth with any disability across the state of Mississippi. They host certain activities such as assistive technology, learning programs, and educational support. The Executive Director for TK Martin, Dr. Kasee Stratton-Gadke, said fundraisers like this are very important since it is a grant and donation-based center. "Fundraisers are really important. A lot of the funds from today will come back into directly support our project to the IMPACT school. Which is a special needs school where we serve children with severe medical disabilities," said Stratton-Gadke. "Behind the scenes, we are constantly grant-writing and raising funds to support and have really generous donors who supported us. But, a day like today is a really fun day. We get to interact with the community, we get to be involved, we get to support Jersey Mike's and their mission and supporting the community so this is a fun day for us to get involved." |
| Guest, Wicker and Hyde-Smith reaffirm support for KC-46 | |
 | U.S. Rep Michael Guest and Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker reaffirmed their support for Meridian to receive the KC-46 mission at Key Field during a roundtable discussion with business leaders Tuesday, March 26, at the MSU Riley Center. The KC-46, which is the U.S. Air Force's next generation of aerial refueling tankers, is set to replace the aging KC-135 tankers currently in service at Key Field's 186th Air Refueling Wing. Although the military has done a great job of keeping its planes maintained, Guest said, the KC-135 platforms were designed in the 1950s and need to be retired. "I will tell you that the Air Force and our men and women in the National Guard have done a wonderful job maintaining that plane," he said. "That plane has new engines, it has new electronics, but they're flying on a platform that was manufactured 60 plus years ago." The 186th ARW is one of just a handful of installations that can host the longer, taller and wider KC-46 without major renovations and is on the short list of sites being considered for the new plane. In addition to the 186th ARW continuing its role in supporting ongoing missions, Guest said getting the KC-46 would also bring an active duty element to Key Field. That would mean approximately 100 families moving to the area, as well as other service members visiting for training and other purposes. |
| Mississippi State is hiring childcare professionals in Warren County as well as other parts of the state | |
 | Individuals interested in working with young children and families are encouraged to apply for job openings with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Mississippi Child Care Resource and Referral at MSU Extension is seeking program associates and office associates in Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Warren, Madison, Prentiss, Chickasaw, Rankin, Lowndes and Newton counties. MSCCRR employees work throughout the state to build a stronger network of support for children and provide early childhood resources, referrals, family engagement activities and more. Team members are employees of the MSU Extension Service. Employee benefits include health insurance, life insurance, Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi retirement plan, dental and vision insurance, tuition remission and paid personal and medical leave. For more detailed information about the job openings and to apply, visit MSU's careers webpage at https://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu. MSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation or other information, contact Sarah Moody at 662-325-7839 or sjc211@msstate.edu. |
| New program looks to repurpose unused food | |
 | In Oktibbeha County, more than 8,700 residents are food insecure, lacking consistent access to enough food necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, according to Feeding America, a nationwide nonprofit network of food banks and meal programs. Starkville Strong, a local nonprofit dedicated to community advocacy, is attempting to address that problem while also reducing local food waste with a new initiative called Second Servings. The program seeks to partner with local restaurants, community organizations, Greek life organizations and other entities to repurpose and redistribute surplus food to people who need it. "For a couple of years now, we've been trying to sort of assess the food systems that are here," said Brandi Herrington, executive director for Starkville Strong. "We've been looking at the amount of food waste -- particularly how it relates to Greek life, where they serve meals twice a day, (Mississippi State University) concessions and some of the local restaurants and grocery stores." Herrington said the numbers of families struggling with food insecurity are staggering, especially considering how much food waste is generated daily. Second Servings, she said, will tackle both problems. Second Servings is already partnering with MSU's Chi Omega sorority chapter to collect surplus food from meals served twice a day. Both Chick-Fil-A Starkville and Dodson Farm, a Starkville event venue, have reached out to partner with the program, she said. "We're starting small, but the goal is to take food then repurpose it, store it, freeze it and then distribute it to people in need," Herrington said. |
| Starkville teen Jennifer Jeffries talks about 'American Idol' interview, songwriting | |
 | Jennifer Jeffries has been writing songs and performing for as long as she can remember, but the Starkville teen didn't get serious about songwriting until she was about 9. "I was writing songs before I even knew how to write on paper, before I even knew how to spell words," she said. "I was always making up a little tune. But I will say around the age of 9 is when I really started picking it up. I was doing it all the time." The 17-year-old spoke with the Clarion Ledger earlier this week about her music and her audition that earned her a golden ticket to Hollywood on "American Idol." "Going into the room to audition in front of the judges, I was definitely nervous but very excited," she said. "Getting to perform an original song that I wrote, I was pretty pumped about because it was a shared special part of me. I was very blessed to have performed that song." The three judges unanimously voted to send Jeffries to Hollywood to continue her journey on the show, which is in its 22nd season. Jeffries will appear on Sunday's episode of "American Idol," with contestants arriving in Hollywood. Jeffries told the judges during her audition she hadn't had a chance to perform around Starkville since many places have age requirements, but since her audition, she has received offers to perform. On Monday, she performed at Rick's Cafe in Starkville. "I had a lot more people there than I expected," she said. "It was so much fun." She also performed during open mic at Dave's Dark Horse Tavern. "A lot of people have reached out about gigs, which I'm super happy about," Jeffries said. |
| McKee Park court dedicated to Starkville's 'Godfather of Pickleball' | |
| Pickleball players united in Starkville for the official dedication of new pickleball courts at McKee Park. Dozens showed up to hear from city leaders including Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. 12 new courts were unveiled. One of them was named after Lou Fratesi. Fratesi said he started a pickleball group back in 2017, and he said the number of players joining has continued to grow. The new courts will host their first tournament on April 26 and April 27. Fratesi said you don't have to be a pro or seasoned vet to pick up the game, become competitive, and have fun. "They haven't been playing long, but they are competitive. And as you will see, some of them have been addicted to it. And there is a lot of social about it and I think that is the main thing, too," said Fratesi. April's tournament is hosted by the MSU Pickleball Club. |
| Mississippi's 82 counties designated disaster areas due to 2023 drought | |
| Farmers throughout Mississippi could soon see financial aid to offset losses resulting from a historic drought last year thanks to a statewide disaster designation from the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2023, more than 400,000 residents were impacted by lengthy hot conditions and instances where less than average amounts of rainfall dried up crops and the Mississippi River. On Monday, USDA announced it is designating 82 counties in Mississippi as disaster areas relating to the drought from last year, which will now allow commercial producers, such as farmers, to receive federal aid for material losses such as dead crops or heightened costs to maintain those plants. Common commercial crops in Mississippi include cotton, soybeans and corn. Farmers who were greatly affected by the drought can receive financial assistance from the Farm Service Agency by way of its emergency loans assistance program. People wanting to file a claim can do so within the next eight months, and more information related to how to make a claim is available on the FSA website or by contacting a local office. |
| Will high egg prices make Americans break up with Easter traditions? | |
 | Most Americans wait until the Holy Week to shop for Easter, but no matter how long you wait this year, eggs aren't likely to go on sale for much less than they are now. A dozen eggs are around $3 per dozen, on average, according to Federal Reserve data. That's down from January 2023's record $4.82, but still more than double the $1.45 average cost before the pandemic in February 2020. Even if prices aren't as eye-popping as they were last year, they might still be expensive enough to dissuade some people from dyeing a lot of eggs. Of the more than 500 consumers polled by research firm Numerator, 65% said they'll buy eggs to decorate and 21% said they plan to buy more than last year. However, 35% said they don't plan to buy eggs to decorate and 11% will buy fewer this year. Of those buying fewer eggs or none, 25% cited high prices as the deterrent. Egg prices soared to about $4.82 per dozen in January 2023 after an avian flu outbreak. Prices started to fall after avian flu subsided. Eggs dropped to about $3.27 a dozen by last Easter and got as low as $2.04 in August. However, another outbreak last November sent prices higher again. Prices have risen over the past six months, with the average cost of a dozen eggs hitting $3 in February. |
| White House expects about 40,000 participants at its 'egg-ucation'-themed annual Easter egg roll | |
 | Some 40,000 people are expected to participate in Monday's "EGG-ucation"-themed White House Easter Egg Roll, about 10,000 more people than last year. A teacher for more than 30 years, Jill Biden is transforming an annual tradition first held in 1878 into an "EGG-ucational" experience. Various stations on the South Lawn and Ellipse will help children learn about farming, healthier eating, exercise and more, the White House announced Thursday. They'll still get to coax hard-boiled eggs across the lawn to a finish line. Guests include thousands of military and veteran families, their caregivers and survivors. Members of the general public claimed tickets through an online lottery. Monday's "egg-stravaganza" will be the third Easter egg roll hosted by President Joe Biden and the first lady. They did not host the event in 2021, Biden's first year in office, because of COVID-19. The White House Easter Egg Roll dates to 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the White House lawn to children after they were kicked off the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. |
| Mississippi Senate Republicans push Medicaid expansion 'lite' proposal that would cover fewer people | |
| A proposal to expand Medicaid to tens of thousands of residents in one of the poorest states in the U.S. is still alive in the Mississippi Legislature . But Senate Republicans changed the plan Wednesday so it would cover far fewer people and bring less federal money to the state. Mississippi's Republican-controlled Legislature is considering expansion after years of opposition to the policy allowed under the Affordable Care Act, a 2010 federal health overhaul signed by then-President Barack Obama. The proposal passed by a committee Wednesday is the only Medicaid expansion proposal still alive after Senate Republicans tweaked a House bill rather than advance a separate bill of their own. "We have a conservative plan over here," said Senate Medicaid Committee Chairman Kevin Blackwell. "The House version was basically straight-up expansion." Dubbing the plan Medicaid expansion "lite," Blackwell said it would increase eligibility for the government-funded health insurance program that covers low-income people. But it extends eligibility only to those making up to 100% of the federal poverty level, just over $15,000 for one person. That is down from the 138% figure approved by the House, just under $21,000 for one person. |
| Senate Medicaid expansion bill would reduce number of people it would benefit | |
 | A Mississippi Senate Committee moved forward an amended Medicaid expansion bill Wednesday that seeks to provide free healthcare to about 80,000 of the state's poorest working people. Medicaid Committee Chairman Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, told the Clarion Ledger after the meeting that he brought out House Bill 1725 only to cut some of its key provisions and replace them with a "conservative version." The bill passed through Blackwell's committee Wednesday afternoon would designate the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to request a 120 hours per month work requirement waiver from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS is unlikely to approve the waiver, as it has denied other states the same request. Rep. Missy McGee, R-Hattiesburg, who wrote HB 1725's original version and was present at the Senate Medicaid Committee meeting, declined to comment on Blackwell's version. Others were not so quiet. Democratic Senators Bradford Blackmon, John Horhn and David Blount, representing Lexington and Jackson, questioned why the Senate version expanded Medicaid for far less people than the House's version. Horhn even offered two amendments that would have changed the amount of time MDM qualified Medicaid eligibility from quarterly to twice a year, and one to reduce the required working hours to enroll from 120 per month to 20 hours a week. Both measures would in theory expand eligibility from Blackwell's estimated 80,000 people. |
| Mississippi Senate unveils Medicaid expansion plan | |
| On Wednesday, the Mississippi Senate officially unveiled their version of a Medicaid expansion proposal. The Senate Medicaid Committee inserted the chamber's language in strike-all of the House bill, which differs significantly from the House's original version. The Senate Medicaid expansion plan hinges on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approving a work requirement waiver for individuals who could be eligible under the proposal. The House plan would have expanded Medicaid up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but the Senate plan only provides for an increase of up to 99%. Governor Tate Reeves took to social media following the Senate committee meeting to reiterate his opposition to Medicaid expansion. He said the numbers he has been given would indicate that only 72,000 are in the coverage gap, with estimates indicating only 35% or 25,200 of those currently employed. Reeves said the higher numbers come when considering the other exceptions in the bill for caregivers and disabled individuals. "The Devil is always in the details. And the details prove that this Senate bill is not for the 'working poor.' It is welfare expansion to those able-bodied adults that could work but choose not to," Governor Reeves said. "The Senate bill is still bad policy. And so I will continue to do what I told the voters I would do -- fight Obamacare Medicaid Expansion with every ounce of my being." The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration. |
| Senate committee passes Medicaid 'expansion' bill that leaves hundreds of millions in federal dollars on table | |
| The only surviving Medicaid expansion bill in the Legislature passed the Senate Medicaid Committee Wednesday and is headed to the full Senate for a vote. But the proposal, as it passed the Senate committee, is not considered traditional "expansion" under the Affordable Care Act, and therefore would not qualify for the enhanced federal funding the law grants to newly-expanded states. It would leave the cost of the expanded coverage up to the state. The Senate committee passed the House Republican bill with a strike-all, meaning it replaced the bill's original language with its own plan, which Medicaid Committee Chairman Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, refers to as "expansion light." Senate Democrats voiced several concerns about the administrative burden of the work requirement and the 120 hour a month minimum, which is even stricter than Georgia's plan -- currently the strictest expansion plan in the country. Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, asked Blackwell about the enhanced match from the federal government. "So the federal government paying our match for two years and 90% after the two years -- we would not qualify for that?" Blount asked. Blackwell said that is correct, and they would leave that money on the table. Any final plan would realistically need a two-thirds majority from both chambers to show it has the potential to override a potential veto from Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who has privately told lawmakers he plans to veto any Medicaid expansion bill. |
| School resource officer grant program moves forward | |
| Through a five-year phase-in period, a bill in the Mississippi House of Representatives could provide grant funding through the Department of Public Safety to help school districts secure a trained law enforcement officer at each campus if the legislation becomes law. State Representative Trey Lamar authored HB 1982, known as the Mississippi School Resource Officers School Safety, or MS ROSS, Act. The bill would provide a route for school districts and local police departments or sheriff's departments to jointly apply for grant funding to help offset the cost of employing a trained and certified law enforcement officer at school districts. "As long as I sit in this position I do not want to ever be in a position where we're looking at adding, when we're talking about school safety, after a tragedy. That is the wrong side of the equation to be on when it comes to this type of thing," Rep. Lamar said during Tuesday's House Ways and Means Committee meeting, which he chairs. According to HB 1982, the grant program is open to public, charter and private schools in the state. Independent schools that wish to participate would need to be members of the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools, be accredited by a state, regional or national organization, and have accreditation from the State Board of Accreditation. The program would pay up to $55,000 and the officer would need to be an official employee of the law enforcement agency, not the school district, the bill states. |
| Secretary of state moves to dismiss GOP lawsuit trying to limit mail-in absentee ballots | |
| The secretary of state's office and two advocacy groups on Tuesday asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the state Republican and Libertarian parties seeking to limit the number of mail-in absentee ballots during the upcoming presidential and congressional election. The Mississippi Alliance for Retired Americans and Vet Voice Foundation, two groups who intervened in the suit, and Secretary of State Michael Watson's office argued in separate briefings that the federal litigation should be dismissed because the political parties lack legal standing to bring the suit. "The Mississippi Statute does not harm the plaintiff individuals or political parties in any way," Special Assistant Attorney General Rex Shannon III wrote on behalf of Watson's office. "It does not conflict with laws that set the election day for federal offices. And it does not impair the plaintiffs' rights to vote or to stand for office under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments." The litigation marks a peculiar scenario where the national and state Republican parties have filed suit over a law that passed a GOP-dominated Legislature and was signed into law by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. Watson, a Republican, is the state's chief elections administrator and is now tasked with fighting his own political party in court using attorneys from Republican Attorney General Lynn Fitch's office. |
| Mississippi hits BlackRock with cease and desist, threatens massive fine over ESG policies | |
| The state of Mississippi has issued a cease and desist order to trillion-dollar asset manager BlackRock, alleging the firm has committed fraud by misleading investors through its climate policies. Late on Tuesday, Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson's office delivered the order and a notice of intent to impose an administrative penalty -- which could amount to a first-of-its-kind multimillion-dollar fine -- against BlackRock, an action targeting so-called environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. Watson claims BlackRock has repeatedly misled Mississippi investors pertaining to its broader ESG agenda. "Investment companies will not push their political agenda on Mississippians, especially through fraudulent and deceptive means," Watson said in a statement shared with FOX Business. "All citizens should have the opportunity to make informed and educated decisions when investing their hard-earned money. If not, our office will hold these bad actors accountable." In the order delivered to BlackRock, Watson takes aim at the firm related to its handling of non-ESG funds it manages. While BlackRock states those exchange-traded funds (ETF) and bond ETFs do not "seek to follow a sustainable, impact or ESG investment strategy," Watson argues those representations are false or misleading because they run contrary to BlackRock's public ESG commitments. |
| Industry roundtable discusses Port of Gulfport expansion | |
 | On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Port Authority hosted key maritime professionals, Congressman Mike Ezell, and representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers for an industry roundtable at the Port of Gulfport. Encompassing 300 acres, the Port of Gulfport has nearly 6,000 feet of berthing space. However, the largest terminal operator in the country wants to become even bigger. "Our number one priority here is a deepening and widening project," Port CEO Jon Nass said. "Congressman Ezell has been so supportive. We've actually had two acts of Congress in the past two years. We're working with the Army Corps to have a deeper channel so that we can bring in bigger ships and support the economy even more than we do today." During the tour, Nass explained that the port is an economic driver and brings in $3.8 billion every year. Congressman Mike Ezell says not only does that economic drive impact Gulfport, but the expansion benefits can span nationwide. "But you know we have an opportunity now with the rail system to pick up goods here and take them all the way to Chicago, pick up goods there, and bring them back down to the Mississippi Gulf Coast," Ezell said. "So we're not just boxed in right here on the Coast. We're doing business for people all over the country and potentially all over the world." |
| Free Clinic welcomes congressional delegation to unveil expansion | |
| The Free Clinic of Meridian will be able to serve even more uninsured and underinsured residents of East Mississippi and west Alabama after it unveiled its expansion Tuesday with a visit from Meridian's congressional delegation. The clinic was awarded a $310,000 Congressionally Directed Spending grant in September 2023 to fund the construction of two new exam rooms, a multipurpose room, office and storage space. Kevin Hatch, president of the Free Clinic of Meridian board, said the expansion would not have been possible without the grant, and the grant would never have been received if not for Sens. Roger Wicker, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Rep. Michael Guest. "While the clinic does not accept federal, state, or local government operation funding, the opportunity for this one-time grant was an opportunity we couldn't pass up, and all three congressional offices immediately offered their support," he said. "We again cannot thank you enough for your support of the free clinic and for being here today." Wicker said the Free Clinic of Meridian is an embodiment of the ideals and values that make America great. Local hospitals, foundations, charitable organizations, private donors, volunteers, and people from all areas of the community work together to support the clinic and provide medical care for those in need, he said. "This is emblematic of what makes our small towns and small cities and rural communities in Mississippi and all across the great heartland so wonderful," he said. |
| How Greene's bid to topple Johnson could blow up the House -- or in her own face | |
 | Marjorie Taylor Greene's bid to vote on firing Speaker Mike Johnson risks throwing the House back into leaderless paralysis for the second time in six months. But it also holds real peril for the frustrated conservatives whom she claims to represent -- with some worried she could possibly push Johnson into working with Democrats on Ukraine aid. The Georgia Republican last week introduced a resolution ousting Johnson that she hasn't said when she will force a vote on, portraying it as an early warning to the speaker after he pushed through a government funding deal that his right flank loathed. Should Greene decide to tee up that vote later next month, after Johnson's margin shrinks to just one vote, she might need only a single colleague on her side in order to fire him --- so long as Democrats unite against saving his job. "You should take her very seriously," said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker last year but said he "isn't there yet" on joining Greene's anti-Johnson push. "Marjorie is playing chess, not checkers. She's looking at the long game, and she's holding all the cards on this one," Burchett added. "And I think it's an attempt on her part to move the Republican party to a more conservative area -- where our base is." Yet as Johnson increasingly looks to Democrats to help pass major bills, including a $1.2 trillion spending plan that most of his conference opposed, Greene’s latest chess move could backfire spectacularly. |
| Cole considered early favorite to win House Appropriations gavel | |
 | Texas Rep. Kay Granger's decision to step down early as chair of the House Appropriations Committee opens one of the most powerful jobs in Congress. But unlike the usual scramble to claim the powerful gavel, the race to fill Granger's seat may not be much of a race at all, with Oklahoma's Tom Cole emerging as a clear front-runner and consolidating support from senior appropriators. Cole, the Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee chairman, is the only member running for the position thus far, and has the support of nine of the other subcommittee leaders, also known as "cardinals." Alabama's Robert B. Aderholt, the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee chairman who has a seniority edge over Cole, is also weighing a bid. He's positioning himself as a more conservative alternative, as he joined a majority of the conference in opposing the most recent final fiscal 2024 appropriations package. "The Congressman is being very deliberate in making a decision, because it's clear we cannot continue under the same appropriations process and expect a different outcome," Aderholt spokesman Carson Clark said Tuesday in a statement. However, Cole is considered a heavy favorite, as the membership of the GOP Steering Committee leans more toward the establishment wing of the party that provided the votes needed to get the spending package over the finish line last week. |
| Joe Lieberman, senator and vice presidential nominee, has died | |
 | Joseph Lieberman, a centrist former Connecticut senator and onetime Democratic vice presidential nominee, has died, according to a statement from his family. He was 82. His family said he died Wednesday in New York City due to complications from a fall. The statement said: "His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him as he passed. Senator Lieberman's love of God, his family, and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest." As Al Gore's running mate in 2000, Lieberman became the first Jewish American on the presidential ticket of one of the two major parties. Four years later, Lieberman unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination himself. Lieberman was a centrist, and often angered Democrats. He lost a 2006 Democratic Senate primary in his home state, but won reelection regardless, running as an independent. In 2008 he supported Republican John McCain's unsuccessful presidential bid. In 2011, when he announced he wouldn't seek a fifth term as senator, he said: "I have not always fit comfortably into conventional political boxes -- Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative. I have always thought that my first responsibility is not to serve a political party but to serve my constituents, my state and my country, and then to work across party lines to make sure good things get done for them." |
| Biden fundraiser in NYC with Obama and Clinton nets a whopping $25M, campaign says. It's a record | |
| A fundraiser for President Joe Biden on Thursday in New York City that also stars Barack Obama and Bill Clinton is raising a whopping $25 million, setting a record for the biggest haul for a political event, his campaign said. The eye-popping amount was a major show of Democratic support for Biden at a time of persistently low poll numbers. The president will test the power of the campaign cash as he faces off with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has already proved with his 2016 win over Democrat Hillary Clinton that he didn't need to raise the most money to seize the presidency. The Radio City Music Hall event will be a gilded exclamation mark on a recent burst of presidential campaign travel. Biden has visited several political battlegrounds in the three weeks since his State of the Union address served as a rallying cry for his reelection bid. The event also brings together more than three decades of Democratic leadership. The $25 million tally for the New York City event Thursday includes money from supporters who handed over cash in the weeks ahead of the fundraiser for a chance to attend. It's raising $5 million more than Trump raised during February. Leon Panetta, who served in top positions under Clinton and Obama, described the fundraiser as an important moment for Biden's campaign. Panetta said Clinton and Obama, both known as effective political communicators, could help Biden develop a better pitch for his reelection. |
| People say they're leaving religion due to anti-LGBTQ teachings and sexual abuse | |
| People in the U.S. are leaving and switching faith traditions in large numbers. The idea of "religious churning" is very common in America, according to a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). It finds that around one-quarter (26%) of Americans now identify as religiously unaffiliated, a number that has risen over the last decade and is now the largest single religious group in the U.S. That's similar to what other surveys and polls have also found, including Pew Research. PRRI found that the number of those who describe themselves as "nothing in particular" has held steady since 2013, but those who identify as atheists have doubled (from 2% to 4%) and those who say they're agnostic has more than doubled (from 2% to 5%). As for why people leave their religions, PRRI found that about two-thirds (67%) of people who leave a faith tradition say they did so because they simply stopped believing in that religion's teachings. And nearly half (47%) of respondents who left cited negative teaching about the treatment of LGBTQ people. Those numbers were especially high with one group in particular. "Religion's negative teaching about LGBTQ people are driving younger Americans to leave church," Deckman says. "We found that about 60% of Americans who are under the age of 30 who have left religion say they left because of their religious traditions teaching, which is a much higher rate than for older Americans." |
| Black pastors see popular Easter services as an opportunity to rebuild in-person worship attendance | |
| At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many churches moved their services online, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV initially shuddered at the thought that he needed to morph into a "video personality" to stay engaged with his parishioners. "I resisted kicking and screaming because I'm a child of the '70s," said Lamar, the senior pastor of historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. "I'm not a digital native." Four years later, Lamar, a talented preacher, has adjusted to offering both virtual and in-person services. After a noticeable attendance drop, more Metropolitan congregants are choosing in-person worship over virtual, even as they mourn members who died from COVID-19. This Easter, Lamar is grateful to be back in person with his flock, believing it's a fitting way to celebrate the holiday's message of hope and resurrection. This Easter is also an opportunity for Black churches to welcome more visitors to their pews and try to begin reversing attendance trends. More than a dozen Black clergy said their churches are still feeling the pandemic's impact on already-waning attendance, even as they have rolled out robust online options to reach new people. Black Protestants' monthly church attendance declined 15% from 2019 to 2023, a larger drop than any other major religious group, according to a 2023 Pew Research study. They are also more likely than other groups to take in religious services online or on TV, with more than half (54%) saying they attend services virtually. |
| USM hosts Founders Week Birthday Party | |
 | USM's Spirit Park was buzzing Tuesday afternoon as the school celebrates founders week. Saturday marks the 114th year for the University of Southern Mississippi. On Tuesday, faculty and students are enjoying food, games and live music for the celebration. Laura Laughlin, the executive director of student life, said the celebration brings past and present students together each year. "Every way we celebrate founders day or founders week every year is just a reminder of the threat that connects Southern Miss alumni past, present and future, and it just really connects everyone more to the institution, so its just really special," said Laughlin. On Wednesday, there will be a student awards ceremony followed by a celebration reception for founders' day. |
| ICC's Precision Machining Technology program receives $20,000 Gene Haas Foundation grant | |
 | Itawamba Community College's Precision Machining Technology program has received a $20,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation. The funds are being used for financial aid for several students, said Dylan Baldwin, ICC's dean of career education. "We appreciate very much the investment by the Haas Foundation in ICC's Precision Machining Technology program," Baldwin said. "Not only is it an investment in the program, but it is an investment in the futures of our students." In 1999, Gene Haas formed the foundation that bears his name. It was initially designed to fund the needs of his local community. Haas Automation is now a billion-dollar company. The focus of the foundation has shifted to current outreach and methodology. Its purpose is to introduce students to careers in machine technology and manufacturing, to build skills in the machining industry and to help military veterans enroll in programs that train them to become skilled machinists. "We would like to thank the Gene Haas Foundation for their generous contribution and support of our program," program director and instructor Jerry Pettigrew said. "This grant will be used to help offset some of the financial burdens of these students, and for this, we are extremely grateful." |
| Harrison County denies beach permits for upcoming Black Spring Break | |
| Black Spring Break is still happening in Mississippi, but some modifications may have to be made by event organizers. The large annual spring break gathering attended by tens of thousands is set to be underway on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in just over two weeks, but an announcement from Harrison County on Tuesday could cause some of the festivities to be canceled. Officials denied the application citing elevated safety risks from people crossing Highway 90 back and forth -- sentiments echoed by the county. Though Harrison County has approved permits for Black Spring Break in years past, other safety concerns have elevated stemming from last year's Black Spring Break event in which one person was killed and four were injured in a mass shooting near Surf Style in Biloxi. "This thing has morphed in the last three years. The recipe of guns, drugs, and alcohol in the duration of the event is what is really extraordinary," Biloxi Mayor FoFo Gilich said on The Ricky Mathews Show. "I don't want anybody to feel that. The impacts on the neighborhoods were extraordinary." An appeal hearing regarding the city's decision to deny the request is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2. |
| UAB 'has no plans' to buy Birmingham-Southern College campus amid school closing | |
 | UAB is not among the potential suitors for the Birmingham-Southern College campus should the property go up for sale following the small, private school's announcement it will close May 31 after it could not find enough support for a loan. "UAB has no plans to acquire the property," university spokesman Tyler Greer told AL.com in a statement Wednesday. The university's announcement comes after Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, who has been one of Birmingham-Southern's largest champions and fought to get the school a loan through the Legislature, said there are "several institutions" interested in Birmingham-Southern's 192-acre campus. The property includes dozens of administrative and classroom buildings, residence halls, an apartment complex with a pool, a lake, and playing fields. Givan said she was concerned how the campus would impact the surrounding Bush Hills community if the property becomes vacant. The small liberal arts college announced Tuesday afternoon that it would close on May 31, citing a lack of support for a new loan bill that would give the school a lifeline to stay open. BSC officials said that until a buyer is found, the campus will be monitored by security officers. Residents will still be able to access nearby streets, and the United Methodist Center on campus will remain open for public use. |
| DEI bill: Auburn University and other local institutions respond to Alabama State Bill 129 | |
 | It has been one week since Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed State Bill 129, known to some as the Anti-DEI bill, into law, which will affect every public university and school in the state. SB 129 was passed by the Alabama House of Representatives and Senate before Ivey signed it into law, prohibiting universities, K-12 school systems and state agencies from sponsoring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs. The bill will go into effect on Oct. 1. The bill prohibits certain public entities from directing or compelling any students, employees or contractors "to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to a divisive concept," or requiring "its students, employees, or contractors to attend or participate in any diversity, equity, and inclusion program or any training, orientation, or course work that advocates for or requires assent to a divisive concept." In a statement that was sent to the Auburn campus community on March 20, Auburn University said that it was evaluating the implications of the bill, which will affect DEI offices and the use of state funds to sponsor DEI programs and activities. However, Auburn highlighted that the bill did not prohibit the following: "instruction associated with accreditation standards; performing research, scholarship, extension, outreach programs; the offering of academic support services, engaging in clinical trials or providing medical, mental or any health care or clinical services targeted to support individuals of any specific demographic." |
| U. of Kentucky President Proposes to Strip Faculty Body's Power | |
 | The University of Kentucky's president released a proposal Wednesday to do away with its University Senate and transfer the faculty-dominated body's policy-making power to the Board of Trustees. The senate, which first met in 1918, has considerable power in educational policy at the university. According to university spokesman Jay Blanton, that includes setting the academic calendar and minimum admissions requirements, along with the authority to shoot down proposed new degree programs. Now, President Eli Capilouto has proposed transitioning the university senate to a faculty senate, which Blanton said would have advisory power. Capilouto's plan would also create an advisory President's Council, which would include three faculty members in its dozen members. Efforts to reduce faculties' role in shared governance have become something of a trend nationally. An Arizona bill that's near passage, for instance, would change current law that says public university faculty members there "shall participate in" or "share responsibility for" governing, academic and personnel decisions. Instead, they could only "consult with" university leaders on such decisions. And Florida's legislature passed a law last year that says public university presidents -- and the administrators to whom they delegate hiring authority---are "not bound by the recommendations or opinions of faculty or other individuals." |
| Student sit-in at Vanderbilt over Israel-divestment vote ends Wednesday, students arrested | |
 | Protests by students on Vanderbilt University's campus lasted into early Wednesday morning, after a sit-in at an administration building that began Tuesday resulted in the arrest of at least three of students and the removal of many more. Vanderbilt University students began protesting Tuesday after an amendment to the Vanderbilt Student Government Constitution, which would prevent student government funds from going to certain businesses that support Israel, was removed by administration officials from a student ballot in late March. More than two dozen students entered the halls of Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier's office to hold a sit-in around 9 a.m. Tuesday, along with over 30 more students who sat on the steps outside. Three students who sat in the Chancellor's office were arrested for assault and bodily injury to another, according to The Hustler, Vanderbilt's student news organization, though online jail records do not currently list any charges. All three students have been released. In a statement on Tuesday, the university stated that Student Affairs attempted to "deescalate the situation" after the student's had "breached" the building, pushing a staff member out of the doorway. The university released on its YouTube page video of the students pushing their way into the building. The incident has brought large pushback from the Nashville community, including from The Future of Free Speech project, a nonpartisan think tank located at Vanderbilt University. |
| SC House moves DEI restrictions for public colleges | |
 | South Carolina House lawmakers advanced a bill March 27 barring the state's public colleges and universities from deploying diversity, equity or inclusion principles in their hiring and admissions practices. The move came despite critics' fears the policy could have unintended consequences on student-led organizations or the state's economy. The bill, first debated in mid-February, would eliminate one's race, sex and national origin from consideration in university policies. It would also require schools to do an internal audit of their so-called DEI policies, and report back to the legislature each year. But unlike in some states, lawmakers added an exemption for institutions like the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina Law School, which claimed they could lose their accreditations and grant funding if they did not comply with cultural competency requirements stipulated by the programs offering them. The bill's supporters said the legislation was designed to ensure all students and faculty were operating on a level playing field, where no race or social class was contemplated differently than any other. It was not to ban concepts of thought, others argued, but to protect the diversity of thought in colleges and universities for professors or students who may feel unable to speak their minds on campus. |
| Tennessee law named after slain Belmont student Jillian Ludwig advances in House | |
| "Jillian's Law," a bill that would require mentally incompetent felony defendants to be committed to a mental health institution -- and barred from owning or possessing guns -- is again advancing in the Tennessee legislature. House Bill 1640 is named after Belmont student Jillian Ludwig, who was killed in November by a stray bullet on an afternoon walk in a Nashville park near campus. The man charged with firing the bullet that killed Ludwig had been arrested many times, and previously found by a court to be mentally incompetent. "[Jillian Ludwig] is in the grave right now because a person who was incompetent to assist in his own defense was charged with felonies in a court a couple hundred yards from here, and everybody in that courtroom knew that that individual was dangerous --- everybody --- and they just watched him walk out the door, because our laws are not strong enough," House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, said. If passed, it would require defendants charged with a felony who are determined by a court as mentally incapable of assisting with their own defense to be immediately committed to a mental health facility. Felony defendants committed under the proposed law would also be barred from owning or possessing guns. "If you're not competent to assist in your defense, you certainly do not need to have a deadly weapon in your hands," Lamberth said. |
| Texas A&M plans to launch space engineering degree; Texas Space Commission full of Aggies | |
 | Gov. Greg Abbott gave an educational "space race" challenge to Texas universities on Tuesday: Which one would be first to have a degree program in space engineering? It only took Texas A&M officials one day to answer that question. Robert Bishop, A&M's incoming Dean of Engineering, said Wednesday he supports creating a space engineering degree after faculty members expressed their desire for the program. This new degree program will require approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and various entities within A&M. Pending those OKs, A&M officials said the degree programs could be available as soon as fall 2025. While aerospace and space engineering are related, aerospace engineers focus on getting people and aircraft to places like the moon and Mars and space engineers would help build structures and operations on celestial bodies like the lunar and Martian surfaces. Tuesday's charge from Abbott came during an event at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, where the governor announced the members of the new Texas Space Commission (TSC), which is littered with Aggies. Texas lawmakers put a new emphasis on the space industry during last year's legislative session. |
| U. of Texas at Austin students say cultural programs are struggling to stay afloat in wake of anti-DEI law | |
 | As a first-generation college student, Andrea Morquecho was looking forward to walking in the Latinx graduation ceremony at the University of Texas at Austin this spring. Morquecho said she has family members traveling from Mexico who would have appreciated the ceremony because it's delivered in both Spanish and English. She was also excited to mark the end of her undergraduate career with a celebration of her Hispanic culture on campus. But the future of the event, along with other cultural graduations, is now uncertain after the university pulled back funding in its effort to comply with a law banning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education that went into effect in Texas in January. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB17 into law last year. It bans public colleges and universities from maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion offices; hiring or assigning anyone to perform DEI office duties; giving preference to any job applicants or employees based on race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin; or requiring anyone to complete DEI training. UT Austin's implementation of the Texas law has left several cultural and identity groups on campus scrambling to find funding for special events, meetings and conferences previously sponsored by the school, students and faculty members told CNN. Now, some students of color and LGBTQ students tell CNN they are worried about the future of inclusivity on a campus that touts its diverse student population. In the fall of 2023, the student population was 33% White, 25.2% Hispanic, 22% Asian, and 4.5% Black, according to the university's website. |
| U. of Missouri receives $3.3 million Army research grant to develop autonomous drones using AI | |
 | One day, autonomous drones using artificial intelligence could survey scenes like the Baltimore bridge collapse to search for survivors, or even inspect bridges to detect maintenance needs. Those are some of the potential future benefits of a $3.3 million grant to the University of Missouri from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, said Kannappan Palaniappan, MU curator's distinguished professor of electrical engineering and computer science. "Our goal it to improve the autonomous capability of drones for navigating and collecting information," Palaniappan said. Researchers will develop software using artificial intelligence, allowing the drones to have a three dimensional view of an area and situational awareness, he said. "The drone will understand the scene and navigate like we would if we had a map in our heads," Palaniappan said. The grant requires the drones to be able to operate without a GPS signal. That can happen when cars are in urban canyons of tall buildings or driving through overpasses or in adversarial situations where a GPS signal is jammed, Palaniappan said. Other MU researchers on the project include Prasad Calyam, Filiz Bunyak and Joshua Fraser. Researchers from Saint Louis University, the University of California-Berkeley and University of Florida also are involved. |
| Higher Ed Pay for Many Exceeds Inflation Rate | |
| Many higher ed employees got pay increases this past year that exceeded the inflation rate for the first time since the pandemic, but they still don't have the same buying power as before the public health crisis/emergency, according to a new report by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). "The great news is that it seems like higher education institutions are trying to find the money in their budgets to respond to the fact that inflation has been high. But it's not been enough," said Melissa Fuesting, senior survey researcher at CUPA-HR and lead author of the report. "All higher ed employees' purchasing power has been eroded since the pandemic." The organization analyzed eight years of salary data for tenure-track, nontenure track and staff positions from more than 450 colleges and universities to calculate the median institutional change in average salary. It used the Consumer Price Index to compare inflation with the percentage in change of the average salary paid by an institution from year to year. This was the first year since the pandemic that the median pay increases for the majority of employees surpassed the annual inflation rate (which was 3.1 percent), according to the report. "Raises this last year beat inflation, but they haven't been beating inflation since the pandemic," Fuesting said. "The consequence is that it could have an impact on retention, which can really impact an organization. You lose institutional knowledge and great talent." |
| The Feds Want More Oversight of Scientific Research. Universities Are Fighting Back. | |
 | Research universities and hospitals are pushing back against a federal agency's proposal to boost oversight of investigations related to fraud and plagiarism, even as many face questions over the credibility of their scientists' work. The Office of Research Integrity, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, oversees more than $40 billion in research funds and is calling for more transparency in research-misconduct investigations. The recommended changes come amid high-profile cases at schools including Stanford University, Harvard Medical School and the University of Rochester. Some institutions resisting the changes say their processes are adequate and adjustments would constitute government overreach, stifle academic inquiry and sow distrust among researchers. Their opposition to the changes might kill the plan. Institutions say they should remain in control of how they investigate allegations against their own staff, including determining at what stage they can fairly dismiss charges, whether witness interviews need to be recorded, what to disclose publicly about those found to have violated conduct rules, and who should coordinate the probes. This is the first time since 2005 that the agency has suggested any changes to the rules for how universities should address allegations of falsified or copied work. |
| Cardona sends FAFSA recommendations to states as applications lag amid multiple problems | |
 | Education Secretary Miguel Cardona sent a letter to governors Tuesday outlining recommendations to help increase completion of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms and ease stress on students in the process. The new FAFSA rollout has had a bumpy ride, from getting off to a late start in January to calculation errors in 200,000 forms that were sent to universities recently. The department has five recommendations for governors due to the FAFSA delays and compounding issues. Cardona wants governors to adjust their state financial aid timelines and push colleges to delay institutional decision ones. States should also ensure they have the budgets and support in place for their agencies to be able to complete the work in a timely manner. Lastly, the department wants states to work closely with the K-12 system to reach as many high schoolers as possible to encourage them to complete the FAFSA forms. Currently, more than 6.3 million FAFSA applications have been submitted to the department. A typical FAFSA cycle ends with around 17 million completed applications. This cycle, however, has not been typical, with the forms available three months later than normal and schools not receiving the financial aid information until March. Experts are not confident the department will reach the average number of completed forms this year. |
| Cardona Urges Governors to Prepare for FAFSA Delays | |
| Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona sent a letter to state governors on Monday urging them to prepare for the consequences of FAFSA delays by pushing back state financial aid application deadlines and adjusting expectations for state grant eligibility. Under the new FAFSA, changes to the student aid eligibility formula -- the Student Aid Index, formerly the Estimated Family Contribution -- will also have a major impact on state aid, which usually covers gaps in unmet financial need that remain after federal aid is applied. Because of that, Cardona reminded governors to "ensure your state has budgeted for state grant aid increases that may be needed based on changes to eligibility calculations." "These changes will likely impact the budgeting, design, and distribution of grant programs in your state," he wrote. The department began sending processed student aid forms to colleges and state grant agencies earlier this month, two months later than originally expected. Last week, the department announced that processing the forms would take longer than expected, in part due to an overlooked calculation error, and that students would not be able to make corrections to their forms until April. |
| Biden Title IX rules on trans athletes set for election-year delay | |
 | The Biden administration is preparing to finalize sweeping rules in coming weeks governing how sex discrimination is addressed in schools, including new protections for transgender students. But officials plan to put off a companion regulation outlining the rights of trans athletes, according to people familiar with administration planning. Athletics is among the thorniest issues confronting supporters of transgender rights, including those in the Biden administration. Polling shows that clear majorities of Americans, including a sizable slice of Democrats, oppose allowing transgender athletes to compete on girls' and women's teams. Twenty-five states have statewide bans on their participation, with proponents arguing that trans women have a biological advantage over other participants. The Biden administration's proposed regulation, published in April 2023, took a nuanced approach. It would outlaw blanket state bans but gives schools a road map for how they can bar transgender girls from competing in certain circumstances, particularly in competitive sports. Nonetheless, issuing such a rule risks injecting the issue into an election year in which President Biden faces a close contest with former president Donald Trump, who has promised to ban trans women from women's sports if reelected. "Folks close to Biden have made the political decision to not move on the athletics [regulation] pre-election," said one person familiar with the administration's thinking. "It seems to be too much of a hot topic." |
| Only one Women's Rights Bill defines the sexes and then protects girls' private spaces | |
| District 20 Senator Josh Harkins writes at MagnoliaTribune.com: What is a woman? Should males be allowed to use women's locker rooms, bathrooms, rape and abuse shelters, prisons, dormitories, sorority houses, and other historically female-only spaces? In recent polling conducted by Independent Women's Voice of registered voters in Mississippi, a remarkable 95% thought it was important that Mississippi law protect private spaces for women. Another 87% believed Mississippi law needs to define sex-based terms such as woman, female, man, and male based on biological sex. There are good Mississippi bills out there that provide these much-needed sex-based definitions -- I support them completely as a first step and sincerely thank my friends behind them. But the definition-only bills do not protect women's safe spaces. ... The SAFER Act, SB 2753, sponsored by Jeremy England and myself, provides these almost identical definitions and then takes the next step to actually protect women's safe spaces. The 95% polling from Republicans, Independents, and Democrats across our state I hope further strengthens my fellow lawmakers' resolve to fight for both steps on behalf of women and girls in our state. |
| Opinion: Mississippi spring and Easter Sunday | |
| Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich writes: Easter is a big deal on the Northside, in the Jackson area as a whole and the entire state of Mississippi. Mississippi is a religious state. According to the U. S. News and World Report, Mississippi is the most religious state in the United States. Drive through any city or town in Mississippi. The biggest, nicest, best maintained buildings will be our churches. Mississippi ranks at the bottom of a lot of rankings. All these rankings are based on the material aspects of life. But Mississippi ranks at the very top of the spiritual list. Which begs the questions: What is more important in life? The material or the spiritual? Jesus answered this question with the words: What good does it do a man to gain the entire world and lose his soul? Decades ago I worked on Wall Street. I saw a lot of very rich, powerful, ambitious people who had zero spirituality. These were people who had gained the entire world but lost their souls. So I left New York and came back to Mississippi. It wasn’t long until I married a southern belle with a deep beautiful thick accent. I was smitten and would do anything to win her. Ginny had one non-negotiable condition: that I go to church every Sunday. |
SPORTS
| Mississippi State Travels To Penn State For WBIT Quarterfinals Thursday | |
| No. 2 seed Mississippi State women's basketball travels to face No. 1 seed Penn State in the Quarterfinals of the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament inside Bryce Jordan Center on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The WBIT was established prior to this season with the initial three rounds held at the highest-seeded team site. All contests are aired on ESPN networks. The winner of the four Quarterfinal rounds will advance to the Final Four with the Semifinal and Championship contests played at Butler's historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Fans who are not in attendance can follow action on ESPN+ or through their Mississippi State radio station with Jason Crowder. It will be the second meeting all-time between Mississippi State and Penn State. Penn State defeated Mississippi State in the lone series contest on Nov. 20, 2002. Penn State enters Thursday 21-12 overall and 9-9 in the Big 10 in its fifth season under head coach Carolyn Kieger. The Nittany Lions have five players averaging 10-plus points per game and ranks top-10 nationally in scoring offense, field-goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. Mississippi State advanced to the Quarterfinals after it defeated No. 3 seed TCU in the Second Round at home on Sunday. Graduate student center Jessika Carter finished with a team-high 17 points - eight in the fourth quarter - in addition to eight points and three blocks in 33 minutes. Carter is averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 26.9 minutes per contest in the WBIT. The winner of Thursday's contest will face either No. 1 seed Villanova or No. 3 seed Saint Joseph's in the semifinals in Indianapolis on April 1. Tip-off time is still to be determined. |
| Purcell, Bulldogs ready for sharpshooting Nittany Lions in WBIT quarterfinals | |
| Mississippi State women's basketball hits the road for their final true road game of the season, taking on Penn State in the WBIT Quarterfinals. The Nittany Lions (22-12) came in as the top-seeded team in their corner of the WBIT bracket, meaning they'll host the second-seed Bulldogs on Thursday night. The Bulldogs (23-11) survived a late push from TCU in the second round on Sunday and have another difficult prospect against Carolyn Kieger's Nittany Lions. "We've got our work cut out," Purcell said in his Wednesday press conference. "It's cool because you have two women's basketball programs with great history behind them over the years. I've seen her teams play at Marquette when I was at Louisville and she does a great job. She sets a tempo with presses to make it ugly, and they've got phenomenal shooters." Makenna Marisa and Ashley Owusu highlighted the box score for Penn State in the 74-66 win over Belmont on Monday, with 18 and 16 points respectively. Marisa could pose a problem from distance, shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc this year, while Owusu has been a leader at guard with 17.7 points per game. |
| SEC's Top Offenses Set To Meet In Starkville | |
| The top two offenses in the SEC will go head-to-head this week in Starkville as No. 17/17 Mississippi State hosts No. 10/9 Florida. The Gators lead the SEC in runs scored this year, but the Bulldogs are right on their heels, ranking second. Both teams are among the top three in the league in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, RBIs and walks. While State is paced offensively by Madisyn Kennedy, whose 1.583 OPS ranks third nationally, Florida is led by reigning NFCA Player of the Year Skylar Wallace and her 1.584 OPS that ranks second in the country. The series was shifted to begin on Thursday to accommodate the Easter holiday, and the series opener will be televised nationally on SEC Network at 5 p.m. CT. Thursday night is First Responder Night at Nusz Park and the game will be followed by MSU's third annual First Responder Home Run Derby. Friday evening's contest is Greek Night and Food Truck Friday, and on Saturday all kids in attendance can participate in a postgame Easter egg hunt in the outfield. The Bulldogs hit the road for a four-game trip next week. State will head to UAB on Wednesday, April 3 for a 5 p.m. CT first pitch. From there, the team heads to Columbia, South Carolina, for a three-game set with the No. 22/RV Gamecocks beginning Friday, April 5. |
| 'She reminds me a lot of Mia': Ella Wesolowski stepping up both at and behind the plate | |
| Mia Davidson is the gold standard for all position players, particularly catchers, at Mississippi State. The Southeastern Conference's all-time home run leader with 92, Davidson helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever NCAA Super Regional in her final season. So head coach Samantha Ricketts comparing freshman catcher Ella Wesolowski to Davidson, as she did Wednesday, was not a comment Wesolowski took lightly. "I remember coming to camps when I was younger and being able to talk to Mia Davidson," Wesolowski said. "She's actually been my biggest role model. I've looked up to her for forever and that's one of the biggest compliments I could get." Wesolowski is the first MSU freshman to start behind the plate since Davidson, and her offensive performance of late is making the comparison warranted as well. In Sunday's 15-7 win at Arkansas, Wesolowski finished 3-for-4 and launched a grand slam that was part of a nine-run fourth inning. She has appeared in 29 of the No. 17 Bulldogs' 31 games, starting 24 of them, and carries a .379/.423/.591 triple slash into this weekend's home series against No. 10 Florida. "To catch at this level, it really is tough. It's a tough transition to do," Ricketts said. "She reminds me a lot of Mia just in terms of how mature she is, how she really takes pride in her catching behind the plate." |
| #StateToTheShow: Opening Day 2024 | |
| It's been said that baseball is a right of passage each spring. Mississippi State baseball will again be a big part of the time-honored tradition of MLB Opening Day as 11 Diamond Dawg alums take the field on Thursday as members of big-league rosters. Last year was a successful one for several former MSU standouts. Nathaniel Lowe and Chris Stratton both won World Series rings as members of the Texas Rangers while Oakland Athletics' slugger Brent Rooker received his first All-Star invitation. J.P. France and Jordan Westburg both made their MLB debuts in 2023, bringing the Bulldogs' total of all-time Major Leaguers to 68. Several State players have been on the move during the offseason, including three members of the 2012 SEC Tournament Championship squad that have reunited in Kansas City. Stratton, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe are all now members of the Royals. Renfroe and Stratton each inked two-year deals worth $13 and $8 million, respectively. Frazier signed a one-year contract worth $2 million with an $8.5 million mutual option for 2025 with $2.5 million guaranteed. Former first-round picks Dakota Hudson and Ethan Small will also begin the spring in new uniforms. Hudson signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies worth $1.5 million with incentives while Small was traded to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations last month. A few Diamond Dawgs in the Minor Leagues will also be in some new threads this year. Jonathan Holder (Rangers), Zac Houston (Phillies) and Jake Mangum (Rays) are all with new clubs in 2024 along with Gavin Collins (Cardinals). Collins spent the 2023 season playing independent baseball with the Kansas City Monarchs. |
| Mississippi State Soccer Welcomes Drago Ceranic as Assistant Coach | |
| Mississippi State soccer proudly announces the appointment of Drago Ćeranić as its newest assistant coach. With an impressive background in collegiate soccer and a commitment to excellence, Coach Ćeranić brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team, further solidifying Mississippi State's dedication to fostering a dynamic and successful soccer program. "We are beyond thrilled to welcome Coach Drago Ćeranić, his wife Andrea, and son Alek into the State Soccer family," head coach James Armstrong said. "First and foremost, Drago showcases a great character and a relentless work ethic. Ćeranić is a fantastic teacher who excels at building relationships with his players. His extensive knowledge will ensure this group continues to advance for the remainder of the spring slate. We are so excited to get him working with our group right away." Ćeranić joins Mississippi State after a successful stint at Mercer University, where he served as an assistant coach in 2023. During his time at Mercer, Ćeranić guided the Bears to a 9-4-7 record and a trip to the SoCon conference semi-finals. Under his tutelage, Mercer remained undefeated at home, boasting seven wins and three draws, with a remarkable 34-7 goal differential. A native of Serbia, Ćeranić graduated from Mount Mercy University in 2010 with a degree in multimedia design and communications, further demonstrating his diverse skill set beyond the soccer field. |
| What happens if Cowboys don't extend Dak Prescott's contract? | |
| As we wait and wonder when or if the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott will come to an agreement on an extension in 2024, let's play out what some would call the worst-case scenario: The quarterback doesn't sign an extension between now and January and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025. But first, here are a couple of ways they could get to that point: The Cowboys make the playoffs for the fourth straight year, hoping to get to a Super Bowl for the first time since 1995. In order to get there, Prescott will have had another top season, like he did in 2023 when he led the NFL in touchdown passes with 36 and threw for 4,516 yards. Given the current state of the roster, it will likely be Prescott's finest season because the Cowboys have to replace starting left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz, tailback Tony Pollard and wide receiver Michael Gallup. Or ... The Cowboys miss the playoffs, but Prescott has what has become his average season: 25 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He plays well enough to warrant a new deal, but there are too many holes on the roster to get back to the postseason. What happens next? |
| Sources: College football oversight committee pushing to expand coaching role of all staff members | |
| In many aspects, college athletics is steadily expanding. The College Football Playoff, for example, is moving from four to 12 teams. The four major conferences will grow next academic year by a combined 13 teams. League television contracts continue rising, coaching salaries soar and the schedule itself is growing longer. Next up: coaching staffs. The NCAA Football Oversight Committee introduced a legislative proposal this month that would expand the abilities of a football support staff, permitting all staff members to provide players skill and tactical coaching instruction -- both during practice and games. The proposal, introduced for a second straight year after failing to get approval last spring, eliminates the policy limiting coaching instruction to only the NCAA's maximum of 11 "countable" coaches: the 10 assistants and head coach. The proposal strictly maintains the number of off-campus recruiters to 11, but gives flexibility to head coaches to potentially designate any 10 staff members as "countable" coaches who are eligible to recruit off-campus. The proposal is now in a six-week socialization stage as members of the oversight committee receive feedback from their respective conferences. If the proposal is adopted, it will take effect either in time for summer training or the start of fall camp, said Craig Bohl, the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA endorses the proposal "100%," said Bohl, who sits on the oversight committee. |
| NCAA will push states to ban prop bets on college athletes | |
| The NCAA announced Wednesday it will lobby state gambling boards to ban player proposition bets in an effort to curb harassment against individual student athletes. As March Madness tournaments get underway, the college athletics organization said prop bets -- those made on the specific stat lines of players, like how many points, rebounds or turnovers they make in a game -- are harmful to the sport. "Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed," NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement. "The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats, and many are responding by banning college prop bets." "The NCAA is drawing the line on sports betting to protect student-athletes and to protect the integrity of the game -- issues across the country these last severely days shows there is more work to be done," he said. College prop bets are already banned in a dozen states, with Ohio and Maryland banning the practice last month. In a statement to Spectrum News after the Ohio announcement, University of Dayton Athletics Director Neil Sullivan said the move helps student safety. "People reaching out through social media, people harassing them and their families over the internet and reaching out to them for their performance or lack of performance, you know, is not good for young people, and the stage that they're on is tough enough," Sullivan said. "We felt that those comments and some of them were extremely vile and inappropriate, and it just crosses the line." |
| NCAA President Charlie Baker urges states with legal wagering to ban prop bets on college athletes | |
| In the midst of March Madness, the NCAA is pushing for states with legal wagering on sporting events to ban prop bets on college athletes. "Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes getting harassed," NCAA President Charlie Baker said Wednesday in statement posted on social media. "The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets." Prop bets -- short for proposition bets -- allow gamblers to wager on statistics a player will accumulate during a game rather than the final score. Baker's statement came two days after the NBA confirmed it opened an investigation into unusual betting patterns surrounding props involving Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter. The Raptors said Porter would miss his third consecutive game Wednesday for personal reasons. Earlier this month, U.S. Integrity, a company used by many professional sports leagues and college conferences to monitor betting activity, flagged a Temple regular-season men's basketball game for wagering irregularities. The NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments are a huge draw for gamblers. The American Gaming Association estimates $2.7 billion will be bet this year on March Madness through legal sportsbooks. |
| America Made a Huge Bet on Sports Gambling. The Backlash Is Here. | |
| American sports spent more than a century keeping gambling as far away as possible, in the name of preserving competitive purity and repelling scandal and corruption. Now, less than six years after the Supreme Court opened the door for states to embrace legal sports betting, major U.S. leagues are already confronting the darker sides of sports betting with alarming frequency. And at the heart of the problems is the population whose ability to bet on sports is the most severely curbed: the athletes themselves. The past two weeks alone have seen players across the major professional and college leagues drawn into a building avalanche of gambling scandals that showed just how perilous the new landscape has become. "All of the positive benefits and additional fan engagement that could potentially come from sports betting mean nothing if we're not protecting the integrity of the game," Marquest Meeks, MLB's deputy general counsel for sports betting and compliance, said in an interview last summer. As the framework for legal sports betting expanded, starting with a Supreme Court ruling in 2018 and followed by states' own gambling legalization efforts, the sports themselves couldn't wait to cash in. A conversation that had always taken place in the dark spilled into the open. The clear message is that leagues want their consumers to keep betting, believing that fans will stay glued to their televisions as long as they have money on the line. But in the rush to claim their gambling windfalls, they have created a dissonance between encouraging fans to place bets and reassuring them that the on-field outcomes remain unsullied. |
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